We have a wild year for garden this year, but did come in with some good crops of some varieties of veggies!---others were killed out by the heat and no rain! I think Virginia has some pics of some the stuff that was actually good this year!---gotta look them up!---havent been on much this year! thanks; sonny

We had one of our better years for gardens this year in spite of the heat and drought. We got it out earlier than usual and much of it was getting pretty mature by the time the weather started being a problem. We had planned to only water small portions in order to reduce the strain on the well, but it was so close to mature that we went ahead and watered it all. For most of the watering we use an oscillating sprinkler setting on a barrel to get above the mature plants, with a timer that runs it 3 hours late in the evening and either 2 or 3 hours depending on how dry it is early again in the morning. In places where I can I use a sprinkler hose to reduce water waste, but due to the calcium in our water a sprinkler hose only lasts a couple of seasons. By watering this way I only need to water once every week to 10 days. I normally run the tiller set shallow between the rows to break up the crust so the water will soak in better. Of course I have used several thousand gallons of water like this, which would not be reasonable o city water.

My garden is doing well. A few rodent issues, early. "Persuaded " them to back off, with ammonia and bleach, in their holes. (makes poisonous gas) Later, I'll have to worry about the antlered rodents. They wiped out my butternut squash, last fall. Rain and wind knocked down some corn, Friday, but it should survive. Had 5 inches of rain, Friday night. Tomatoes were slow to start ripening, but they are ripening now. Ed

Temperature didn't bother so much as did dry although we were way above normal. We are below normal temp right now. We are in a drought disaster area so the only way to have any garden was to water. Soaker hoses under an entirely mulched garden works well but still a lot of pumping. Electric bill high - our well is 100 feet - but most of the elec was for AC. Garden is doing ok. Deer ate the tomato tops but we will get enough. Racoons and woodchucks were sent to heaven. The birds are eating the tips of the corn so we share that. Never had them do it before. Ony crop we nearly lost was parsnips.May you have good eating. VernThe green in the lawn is mostly weedy stuff that came on after last weeks rains. Grass is slowly growing. Was a crunchy brown.

Watermelons are doing really good once they got started,--- NOW , all melons are splittin open from the temp, moisture, and the variables that they cant handle!---we got some great big ole watermelons for our own eating, so all was not lost in all the work we put into them! thanks; sonny